


Runaway

by liraeth_archive



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Gundam Wing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-05 15:11:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18831187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liraeth_archive/pseuds/liraeth_archive
Summary: Originally Published c. 2001





	Runaway

This fanfic was written sometime around 2001 under the penname LiRaeth Tallynn and is being added to AO3 for archiving purposes only.

 

Summary: When Usagi is betrayed by her friends, she moves to America. There, she meets new friends, uncovers new destinies, and discovers that life can be more than what she's used to. Then, her former friends show up, after her most prized possession.

 

Chapter One

 

Usagi stood at the airport terminal alone. She had one duffle bad slung over her shoulder and another suitcase sitting on the ground next to her feet. Her brother and her parents were at home, sound asleep. They had no idea where Usagi was or what she was about to do. A woman’s voice announced her flight was boarding and Usagi made her way to the terminal. The ticket in her hand showed her arrival in San Francisco airport at about six a.m. the next morning. Usagi checked in with the desk, got her electronic ticket (you know what I’m talking about?), handed it to the boarding attendant, and made her way to her seat near the back of the coach. The plane was mostly empty and Usagi was able to stretch out on a row of seats. She pulled her long hair, which was no longer in its usual odangos, over her shoulder. As the plane took off and began its trip across   
the Pacific, Usagi began to doze. Soon she was asleep and dreaming.

_Usagi made her way to Mamoru’s apartment. She wanted to show him her final report card, straight A’s for_    
 _the first time ever. She approached his door and gently knocked on it. After a few minutes, with know one answering, she tried the doorknob. Surprisingly, the door was unlocked. She went inside and quietly closed the door behind her. She heard noises coming from the bedroom and made her way there. The door was partly opened and a soft light streamed through the crack in the door. Usagi cautiously put her ear to the door. Sure enough, there were voices coming from inside the room. She pushed the door open just enough to see inside. What she saw made her freeze._

_Mamoru was in there, in bed, with another woman! The woman moved into the light, allowing Usagi to see who it was. She couldn’t believe it. It was Rei. Her best- no former best- friend. Usagi turned and ran out of the apartment as fast and quietly as she could. She ran back to her house and signed online. She new this was stupid, that she should stay and wait to see what her other friends would say, but she couldn’t. They had to know about it. They’d been acting weird for almost a month. Usagi booked the first ticket she could to the United States and charged it to her credit card. She through as many of her clothes into a suitcase, put some personal things like her cell phone, laptop, and toiletries in her duffle bag, and made her way downstairs. She scribbled a quick note to her family on a piece of paper and stuck it to the fridge. Then she grabbed her jacket and left her house. She caught a bus to the airport, all the while thinking, “How could they do this to me? They are- were- my friends, my senshi! Why?” She continues to run these things through her head as the bus drove to the airport._

 Usagi woke up with a start. Her back was stiff from lying on the seats. She sat up and looked at her watch. She’d been asleep for almost eight hours, more than half the flight. As she stretched her arms and back, a woman came and sat down next to her. Usagi immediately began to apologize in a rush of English and Japanese.

“Gomen nasai! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to, I mean…” She trailed off as she got a good look at the person sitting next to her. The woman had green hair down to her waist tied up in a bun behind her head. “Setsuna-chan!” She said.

 “Hai, Usagi-chan. It’s me. I saw what was going on from the gates and decided to help you out for a while. The future has changed. Chibi-Usa will no longer be born, Crystal Tokyo is no more. I can’t stay with you long, just long enough to get you settled in a new home and in a new school. Then you’re on your own.”

 “Arigatou, Setsuna-chan!” Usagi said, smiling. The two women settled into the seats and watched the movie that was playing.

***

In the Tsukino residence…

 Ikuko woke up and made her way downstairs without waking up either her husband. She put a pot of coffee on and made her way to the refrigerator to get the creamer. A piece of pink paper held up by a bunny magnet caught her attention. She pulled the note off and began to read it.

  _Dear Mom, Dad, and Shingo,_

_By the time you read this letter, I’ll no longer be in the country. I’m going to America to make a fresh_    
 _start. Too many bad memories here. You know my cell phone number and my email address if you need to reach me._

_When I get settled in, I’ll call you. Don’t worry about me, I’m old enough to take care of myself._

_Love Always,_

_Usagi_

PS: Please don’t give my number to any of my ‘friends’ who call. I know this will sound weird, but it’s very important that you not tell them anything.

 Ikuko put the letter down as the phone rang. She looked at the caller ID before she picked it up. Aino, Minako. She picked it up.

 “Moshi, moshi. Tsukino residence. Ikuko speaking.” She said.

 “Moshi, moshi Tsukino-san. Is Usagi there?” Minako asked.

 “No, I’m sorry Minako. Usagi doesn’t live here anymore.” Ikuko replied. She didn’t know why Usagi wanted to keep her whereabouts a secret, but Ikuko knew Usagi didn’t ask favors unless she really needed them.

 “Really!” Came the reply. “Can you tell me her new number?”

 “I’m sorry Minako, but she whishes to keep that information confidential. Goodbye.” Ikuko said and hung up the phone.

As she put the phone in its cradle, her husband, Kenji, walked in. Ikuko sighed and began to explain the situation to him.

***

On the plane…

 Usagi and Setsuna buckled their seatbelts as the plane began its final descent. The plane touched down on the runway and began its approach to the terminal. As soon as the seatbelt sign went off, the two women made their way to the exit. They passed through customs and exited the airport. Setsuna hailed a taxi and gave directions to a place Usagi had never heard of before. Soon, Usagi was riding over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Setsuna pointed out a few sights to her as the taxi wound its way through early morning traffic. It pulled to a stop outside a comfortable looking apartment complex. Setsuna paid the cab driver and led Usagi to the office. She seemed to know exactly where she was going. She got Usagi a lease on a two-room apartment with furniture and paid for it. As she and Usagi walked towards it, she explained about the city to Usagi.

 “We’re in a suburb of San Francisco called Petaluma . There is a college about a block away from here. We’ll get you registered there for the next school year tomorrow.” Setsuna unlocked the door and Usagi set her   
bags down by the door. There were two bedrooms, both with a full size bed, mattress, and no sheets. Each also had a small dresser and table. A kitchen with a fridge, stove/oven, and sink joined a small living room with a couch and table. Everything was covered in a thin layer of dust. Usagi spent the next hour unpacking while Setsuna went to the store for cleaning supplies and food. They spent the rest of the day cleaning and buying basic needs like sheets, a small television, and a phone. By nightfall, both were exhausted. Usagi dropped into her new bed and was asleep within minutes. The next few days went by in a rush.

They spent almost every waking minute buying things for the apartment, getting Usagi used to the city, and getting Usagi enrolled in college. Setsuna seamed to have an endless budget. Usagi got a job as a waitress at a nearby restaurant so she could make a living when Setsuna left. After almost two weeks, the apartment was perfect. Setsuna left then, since she had to go back to the time gate. The day after Setsuna left, Usagi had to go to the store to get groceries. She walked back to her apartment with her arms full of bags. As she tried to reach into her purse to get her key, one of the bags started to slip. Just before it fell, Usagi felt someone take it from her arms.

 "Here. Let me help you with those." A woman's voice said. The woman took another bag, which allowed Usagi to get the door opened and the groceries inside. After she put the groceries down in the kitchen, she came back to get the woman who had helped her. The woman was about Usagi's age, with short brown hair and brown eyes. Usagi invited her in.

 "Thank you for helping me." She said.

 The woman smiled. "No problem. I'm Kate Johnson. I just moved in here a few days ago."

 "I'm Usagi Tsukino." Usagi said back. "I just moved here from Japan. Would you like something to drink?"

 "Yes please." Kate said. After Usagi got the groceries put away and got Kate a coke, the sat down and talked. Usagi learned Kate was going to the same college. Kate helped Usagi get supplies for school and introduced her to a few of her friends. Usagi quickly made friends with the girls Kate introduced her to. They spent the last month of vacation hanging out together and going shopping. Usagi still hadn't talked to her parents, so the last day of vacation, she called them. It was late evening in Japan. Her father answered the phone.

 "Moshi, moshi, Tsukino residence. Kenji speaking." He said.

 "Moshi, moshi tou-san!" Usagi said excitedly.

 "Usagi?!" Her father asked.

 "Hai. It's Usagi." She responded. She talked with him for a few minutes before he passed the phone on to her mother.

Usagi told them she was doing well, and about her new friends, school, and house. Her mother agreed to ship her some more of her stuff. When asked why she had moved, Usagi said she had to go and hung up. She got an email later that day from Shingo asking what was going on. Usagi deleted the message without responding.

The next day, Usagi woke up early so she could eat breakfast and get ready for school. At eight thirty, Kate and two of her friends, Jane and Michelle, came to her house and they walked to the university together. Usagi had a black messenger bag slung over her shoulder her Calculus book in her hands.

She was nervous even though she was with her friends. Her hair hung in a ponytail down her back. Kate said good-bye to her at the entrance of the school, leaving Usagi to get to her first class by herself. Her first class was Calculus, one of Usagi’s easier courses. She entered the class and sat down in one of the desks on the top row. The class quickly filled up and soon the seats on both sides of her were filled up. Usagi glanced at the boy sitting on her right. He had brown hair, almost as long as hers, in a braid. The boy noticed her looking at him.

 “Hey babe.” He said. “My name’s Duo. Duo Maxwell. What about you?”

 Usagi quickly looked away. “My name is Usagi Tsukino.” She said quietly.

 “You’re foreign?” Duo asked. At Usagi’s nod, he said, “That’s cool. Where are you from?”

 “Japan” Usagi said.

 “Japan? One of my friends is from Japan.” Duo said. He turned to a boy sitting on the other side of him. “Hey Heero. You’re from Japan, right? Maybe you know this girl.”

 “Duo, I haven’t been to Japan for years.” Heero said in his usual monotone.

 Usagi strained to see who Duo was talking to. Duo sat back, allowing Usagi to see a boy with wild brown hair and Prussian blue eyes. . His eyes were cold as ice and sent a shiver through her.   
She politely extended a hand.  “My name is Usagi Tsukino.” She said. To Duo’s shock, Heero shook her hand.

 “I’m Heero Yuy.” He said. ‘Why am I shaking her hand?’ He thought.

 Just then the teacher walked in and class began.   
 

 

Chapter Two

 

Calculus class- 5 minutes to end of class

 For the last fifty-five minutes, Duo had been sitting next to the most gorgeous girl he’d ever seen. He hadn’t paid a single bit of attention to the professor standing at the front of the class. He’d been too preoccupied staring at the girl next to him. Besides, he already knew the material. He watched as Usagi copied down what the professor was saying in her notebook. He was startled when the bell rang, signaling the end of the class.

Usagi copied down the homework the teacher assigned and slid the notebook into her black bag on the floor. She began to walk to the door. Duo had to do something, like at least get her phone number.

“Hey, um, Usagi!” He said. Usagi turned around to see who had spoken. She waited while he caught up with her, leaving Heero to walk behind. “So, what’s your next class?” He asked for lack of conversation. Maybe it would be one with him. She looked at her schedule.

 “Umm…Astronomy.” She said.

 Duo groaned. That was one of Heero’s courses. Poor girl. She was stuck with the ‘Perfect Soldier’ as a classmate. He put on a cheerful face. “Well, maybe after that, you can join me for lunch? It’s my treat.” He said.

 “I’m sorry, I already have plans.” Usagi said. “Maybe tomorrow or Wednesday though.”

 “Sure, tomorrow. It’s a date.” Duo said. ‘Now it’s time for my secret weapon’. “So, can I have your number so we can make plans?” ‘Please say yes, please say yes…’

 “Sure. It’s 555-1234.” Usagi said. Neither of them noticed Heero walking just behind then listening in. He mentally stored the number. After Duo left to go to his next course, he approached her.

 “Konichiwa, Usagi-san” He said. She jumped a bit before she realized who it was. She smiled at him.

 “Ohayo, Heero-san.” She said. “Ikaga desu ka?” (How are you?)

 “Genki desu.” He replied. (I’m fine) Switching to English, he said, “I overheard you say you have Astronomy.” At her nod, he continued. “Since I have it also, I was wondering if… maybe…” He stopped. ‘What am I doing?’ He thought. ‘She’s just a girl. Why am I showing feeling towards her?’

 “Maybe we want to sit together?” Usagi asked, finishing his question for him. “Sure! You’re the only one I know who’s in this class. And we can get to know each other better!”

 Heero and Usagi entered the Astronomy class and took the last two seats together. “What part of Japan are you from?” Usagi asked.

 “Tokyo.” Heero answered. In his head, he was wondering why he was showing so much feeling towards this one person. It was totally against all training he had received when he was young. He didn’t even show this much emotion to the other pilots, and they were his only friends.

 “Really, me too.” Usagi answered.

 “Why’d you leave?” Heero asked.

 Usagi grew quiet. “A… a friend of mine lives here in the states and I decided to come visit her for a semester or two.” Usagi lied. Heero knew she was lying but didn’t say anything. “What about you?”

 Heero knew he couldn’t say anything about the gundams, so he said, “I moved out of the country when I was young, but I still visit every once in a while.” He said. Usagi accepted this without question. Before she could ask him another question, the professor came in and class began. Almost immediately, the teacher began lecturing. Usagi and Heero pulled out notebooks and began to take notes with the rest of the class. After half an hour of taking notes, the teacher pulled out a star chart of their solar system. Usagi chose this time to zone out, since she knew the material already. Being a Sailor Senshi and a reincarnated princess had its advantages.

The professor, who really didn’t like people not paying attention in his class, noticed her daydreaming and called on her. “Young lady in the second row.” He said. Usagi snapped out of her daydream and looked at him. “Yes you. What’s your name?”

Usagi sat up straight. “Usagi Tsukino” She said.

“Right, Ms. Tsukino, please give me the moon’s temperature at equatorial Maria when the sun is at its zenith.”

 Without hesitation, Usagi said, “260 degrees Fahrenheit.” She had, after all, lived on the moon in her past life.

 The teacher was shocked. He hadn’t expected her to have a clue. “Okay.” He said. “Give me the mars' perihelion distance from the sun.” He smiled to himself. She’s never going to get this one.

 Usagi’s fist clenched beneath the desk. Heero noticed and thought ‘Why is she suddenly so angry? Is it something the teacher said? What could it have been?’ Usagi held the hate out of her voice when she answered. “206,600,000 miles, sir. Would you like it in kilometers as well?” She asked the last question with sarcasm.

 The professor, Mr. Troy by his nametag, was shocked. She not only had answered the question, she hadn’t even thought about it! “Have you taken an Astronomy course before?” He asked. Usagi shook her head. “Please see me after class about placement.”

 Heero looked at her. “How did you know that stuff?” He asked.

 “I just do. I know a lot about our solar system.” She replied. The rest of the class was spent as Mr. Troy explained the basic information of each planet. After the bell rang, Usagi approached the teacher’s desk.

 “Oh, yes. I was wondering if you’d be more comfortable in the advanced astronomy course.” He said.

 Usagi looked at Heero who was waiting for her at the door. For some reason, she didn’t want to change classes. She wanted to be in the same class he was. “I’m sorry, but I’d prefer to stay in this class if it’s not a problem.” She said.

 “Of course not.” He said. “I’ll see you in class on Wednesday.”

 Usagi joined Heero at the door. “Why didn’t you change classes?” He asked.

 ‘I don’t know. Why didn’t I change courses? Was it because of Heero? No. I won’t let myself get pulled into this again. I fell in love once, and was disappointed. It won’t happen again.’ She thought. Aloud, she said, “You’re the only person I know in that class. I need someone to talk to.”

 Heero nodded in understanding. Inside, he was glad she hadn’t changed but his training told him to ignore the feelings he had for her and become emotionless again. For the first time in his life, Heero ignored his training. “So, where are you going now?” He asked.

 “Home.” She replied. “I want to try to get my calculus homework done before my last course.”

 “Can I walk you home?” Heero asked. He didn’t know why, but he wanted to be around her.

 “Sure.” Usagi said. They left the campus and made there way towards Usagi’s apartment. They talked as they walked (I’m poet and I didn’t know it!). As they approached the apartment, Usagi pulled her keys out of her bag. When they reached her door, she unlocked it and invited Heero in. “Would you like something to eat?” She asked. “I’m having soba noodles if you want any.”

 Heero nodded. “That would be nice.” He said. He went into the tiny kitchen to help her make lunch. After a quick meal of noodles and green tea, Heero left to go back to classes. Usagi left half an hour later. Her last course was English, one she was ‘not’ looking foreword to. The class was incredibly boring and the teacher was an old man who mumbled when he spoke, so the class went slowly. Finally, the excruciating hour passed. Usagi dragged the English textbook home and plopped down on her living room floor. Ten minutes later, she had all her papers for her calculus and English homework spread out on the floor. She worked without stopping for almost two hours. When she finished, she cleaned up the living room and got her bag ready for the next morning. Her stomach growled loudly, reminding her that it was now dinnertime. Setsuna had told her of a little French bistro not too far away. Now, she left her apartment and made her way to the restaurant. She sat down in a booth with her back facing the door. After she had ordered, a grilled ham and cheese sandwich (‘un croque monsieur’ in french), she sat back and read a book she had brought with her. She was so absorbed in the novel, she didn’t notice the five young men that were approaching her. She felt a tap on the shoulder and jumped.

 “What the… geeze Duo, you scared the shit out of me!” She said.

 Duo was laughing. “Man did you jump.” He said. “Like a rabbit!”

 Usagi and Heero exchanged a look. “Would you and your friends care to join me?” She asked, just then noticing the other three men with them.

 “Thank you very much.” One of the men said. “My name’s Quatre Winner, and these are my friends Trowa Barton and Chang Wufei.” Trowa didn’t say anything and Wufei began to mutter about weak women and stuff like that. Duo slid into the booth next to Usagi before anyone else could. Heero rolled his eyes and sat next to Duo. Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei sat down on the other side of the table. Soon the food was served and the six began to eagerly eat. Halfway through the meal, Usagi’s ping watch, which she had stuck in her purse, went off. Usagi grabbed the watch and excused herself from the table. After she left, Heero left as well, claiming to have to use the restroom. He followed Usagi outside the restaurant and to a small, abandoned park across the road. When she stopped, he jumped up into a tree nearby to watch her. He saw her flip open the lid of the watch, push a few buttons, and began to speak into it.

 “Hai, Setsuna-chan. What’s wrong?” She asked.

 An unknown woman’s voice came out of the watch. “There’s some kind of negative vibrations around here. There might be a youma nearby. I need you to check it out.” The voice said. “If you need help, I’ll send the outers to join you.”

 Usagi nodded. “Hai, I’m on it.” She said. She closed the watch and fastened it around her wrist. The she yelled, “Moon Crisis, Make up!!!” Heero watched as golden light and ribbons surrounded the girl. When the light died down, Heero was shocked at what he saw. He’d heard of the Sailor Senshi everytime he went to Japan. A group of girls in school uniforms, defending the city against evil. But he’d never seen one before. Now he was staring at their leader. Sailor Moon. Usagi Tsukino was Sailor Moon.   
  

 

Chapter Three

 

Heero watched, shocked, as the sailor-suited senshi took off running. He jumped to the ground and began to follow her, keeping hidden. Sailor Moon continued to search the park for the source of the negative energy.  She was searching around the lake when she began to feel some strange vibes. Almost as soon as she felt the vibes, a girl’s scream cut through the park. Sailor Moon began to run towards the screaming with Heero close behind her. Just before she reached the point where the scream was coming from, it stopped. She cautiously approached the area, which was a small clearing surrounded by trees. She looked out from behind a large tree and saw a large green youma covered in scales. The youma was holding a young girl who looked about Shingo’s age. The girl was limp and frighteningly pale.

 ‘Her energy has been drained’ Sailor Moon thought. ‘I have to do something’

 The youma dropped the girl as Sailor Moon stepped out of the clearing.

 “Who are you?” It asked.

 “A pretty soldier in a sailor suit, I am Sailor Moon. In the name of the moon, I’ll punish you.” She said.

 The droid took a step forward. “Am I supposed to be scared? I am Serpenta, droid of General Opal, and I will not be defeated.” It said.

 ‘General Opal? Who is that?’ Sailor Moon thought. “I don’t care who you work for! Moon Tiara Action!” She yelled.

 The monster avoided the flying energy disk with surprising swiftness. Then it launched itself at Sailor Moon. Right before it hit, she threw herself out of the way and landed on the ground near the young girl. While the youma was still recovering from his attack, Sailor Moon got up, grabbed the girl, and brought her over to the trees. As she set the girl down, a shadowed figure approached her. She stood up and took a defensive stance.

 “Don’t worry, Sailor Moon. I’ll take care of her while you take care of the monster.” The figure said. Sailor Moon nodded gratefully and returned to the clearing. The monster was back on its feet and attacked her as soon as she stepped away from the trees. She managed to avoid its tail when it came at her, and countered with a swift kick to its back. The creature didn’t expect this and was temporarily caught off balance. This was all Sailor Moon needed though. She pulled her scepter out of her dimensional pocket (I think that’s what its called.) and aimed it at the monster.

 “Moon Gorgeous Meditation!!!” She yelled. A beam of light shot at the monster and turned it to dust. “Moon dusted!” She said. Then she remembered the little girl and the mysterious figure. She ran over to the woods where she had laid the girl. The mysterious guy was gone and the girl was regaining consciousness. Sailor Moon stayed with the girl until she was sure she was all right, then retuned to the bistro to finish her dinner. When she returned, she found all five boys almost done with the meal. She finished her food in record time, thanks to practice from her junior high school days. Duo insisted on paying for her food, and she graciously accepted. She refused their offer to walk her home, however, and took off for the apartment by herself.   
With the gundam pilots…

 “Hey guys,” Heero said. “I’ve got an errand to run. I’ll be back later.” He took off in the direction Usagi had gone.

 After he was gone, Duo asked, “Now what do you think is so important that he had to rush off like that?” The others shrugged and continued walking. “Maybe he’s going to talk to Usagi.” He thought about this for a second. “Never mind. Scratch that idea. Imagine, the Perfect Soldier in love.”

With Usagi…

 Heero began to run as soon as he was out of site of the other pilots. Soon he could make out Usagi’s silhouette in the distance. “Usagi.” He shouted. She stopped and turned around. After she recognized him, she waited for him to catch up. “Usagi, can I talk to you?” He asked when he had finally caught up with her.

 “Sure.” She said. “About what?” She reached into her purse to get her key and unlocked the door of her apartment.

 “Umm… can I come in? I don’t exactly want others to hear this.” Heero asked.

 She invited him in and sat down on the couch. He sat down in a chair. “Remember when you left the restaurant during dinner?” At her nod, he continued. “Well, I followed you to the park. And I saw you transform.”

 A look of shock passed her face quickly before she calmed down. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She stammered.

 “Yes you do. You're Sailor Moon. Why aren’t you in Japan with the other scouts?” He asked.

 Usagi sighed. She had hoped nothing would force her to explain why she was here. “They lied to me.” She whispered. “My future fiance cheated on me with my best friend and my other friends knew about it and didn’t tell me.”

 “Future fiance?” Heero asked.

 “I guess I should explain my entire past. Over a thousand years ago, there was a kingdom on the moon. The queen of the moon reigned over the entire solar system. It was call the Silver Millennium. It was a time of peace and prosperity. The queen had a daughter named Princess Serenity…” Heero listened as Usagi explained the Silver Millennium to him, about her fiance, her scouts, her kingdom, and its downfall. She explained her rebirth a thousand years later, her awakening as a scout by Luna. When she was finally finished, Heero sat in shock in the chair. He couldn’t believe it. But somehow, he knew it was all true.

 “I’m so sorry.” He whispered.

 “Don’t be.” She said back. “It’s not your fault. But you won’t tell anyone will you?”

 “Of course not.” He said. Then he noticed the tears running down her face. For some reason, he felt as though he should go sit by her and make sure she was okay. He stood up and moved towards the couch. He sat down next to her and awkwardly put his arm around her.

 She leaned into his arm and began to cry. “Arigato, Heero-kun.” She said through her sobs. He sat with her until she cried herself to sleep. When she had quieted, Heero carefully picked her up and brought her into her bedroom. He set her down on the bed, then gently closed the door and went back to the living room. A clock on the wall said it was eleven o’clock. He left the apartment and, pulling a lock picking set from his pocket, locked the door behind him.

 He arrived home at half past eleven and immediately went to his room. They were living in one of Quatre’s many mansions right now. He fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.   
Heero’s dream:

 “Serenity!” He shouted. He watched as her lifeless body fell to the ground. He ran over to her, stumbling over the bodies of fallen soldiers. When he reached her body, he frantically searched for a pulse. He didn’t find one. Overcome with grief, he pulled a dagger out of his boot and plunged it into his chest. “I’ll find you again someday.” He said as the life left his body. As he died, a golden light spread over the battlefield.

***

Heero woke up with a start. ‘What the hell is wrong with me?!’ His brain screamed.   
  

 

Chapter Four

 

Heero stood in his small bathroom and stared, bleary-eyed, into the mirror. ‘What’s going on?’ He thought. The clock on the wall showed it was almost six o’clock am. Heero’s first class didn’t start until ten, so he went back to his room and tried to get back to sleep. After half an hour of staring at his ceiling, he finally got up and got ready to go. Once he’d showered and dressed in his usual green tank top and jeans, he made his way to a Starbucks. When he walked in, the first thing he saw was golden-yellow hair in a high ponytail. He walked towards it and took a seat across from Usagi. She looked up from her latte.

 “Heero,” She said. “Good morning. How are you?”

 “I’m fine.” He answered. “Are ‘you’ okay? I mean, after last night…” He trailed off.

 “Oh, about that.” She blushed. “I’m sorry I broke down in front of you like that. Thanks for staying there and all.”

 “It was nothing.” He said. “Umm…listen, Usagi. Last night after I went home, I had the weirdest-” He was cut off by a bang and several screams. He looked at Usagi. “You’d better go.” He said. She nodded and ran off. He quickly followed her. Heero led her to a street filled with old and decaying buildings.

 Usagi ducked into an empty warehouse to transform. “Moon Crisis, Make-up!!!” She yelled. She ran out of the building to find the battle scene. It wasn’t too hard to find. The monster was standing in the middle of the street, blocking early morning traffic. The youma was over twenty feet tall but looked mostly human. With a quick look at her surroundings, Sailor Moon jumped to the top of a building and jumped from rooftop to rooftop until she was directly behind the monster. She pulled off her tiara and sent it flying at the monster’s back. With a high pitched scream, the monster turned around, one hand on its back where black goop was dripping.

 “Who hit me?!” It yelled.

 Sailor Moon took this opportunity to introduce herself. She jumped down and landed in front of the monster. “A pretty soldier in a sailor suit, I am Sailor Moon, and in the name of the moon, I’ll punish you!” She said.

 The monster grinned maliciously. “I’ve heard of you, and I know how to get rid of you too. My General Topaz, last and greatest general of the late Queen Metallia, has summoned me to destroy you.” It said. “And I, droid Giganta, will not fail!” (Do you see the imagination flowing here?)

 Sailor Moon was hard pressed to keep her face straight. Fear had hit her at the mention of Metallia, the evil witch who had murdered her family and friends over a thousand years ago. After fear had passed, anger took over. She kicked the monster in the side, but it didn’t do enough damage. The monster grabbed her next punch before it hit and threw her into a wall. While she was struggling to get up, the monster made its way over to her. It extended one long arm and grabbed her around the neck and lifted her up. Heero watched as her eyes began to droop.

 ‘She’s having her energy drained!’ He thought. ‘I have to do something.’ He pulled a gun out of his back pocket and leveled it at the monster’s head.

 BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! Three shots were fired consecutively at the monster’s head. The monsters, unprepared for the bullets, staggered backwards and dropped Sailor Moon. She landed on her feet, but her knees gave out under her and she fell to the ground.

 “Quick Sailor Moon!!!” Heero yelled. Sailor Moon fumbled to get the moon rod out but was too weak to power up the attack and finish the monster off. Heero noticed this and also noticed the monster was coming back to its senses. He hurried to Sailor Moon’s side.

 “I… I can’t do it. I’m too weak.” She said tiredly.

 Heero wrapped his arms around her waist and helped her stand up. “You can do it. Just concentrate.” He said. Sailor Moon leveled her moon rod at the monster.

 “Moon Gorgeous Meditation!” She yelled. The monster looked up in time to see a rush of pink light hit it. Then it was no more. Sailor Moon fell unconscious from the lack of energy and de-transformed. Heero scooped her up and left the area just as the police began to arrive. He went to her house, the one safe place he could think of right then. The hospital would ask questions and he didn’t think she was badly hurt, just exhausted. When he got there, he picked the lock and entered the house. He was surprised to see someone standing there waiting for them. Heero recognized her from Usagi’s story.

 “Sailor Pluto.” He said.

 “Yes, but right now I am Setsuna Meioh. Thank you for bringing Usagi home. I’ll put her to bed.” The woman said. She took Usagi from Heero’s arms and left the room. While she was gone, Heero glanced around the room. A small picture caught his attention. He made his way over to it. It was a picture of Usagi, Setsuna, and three other people Heero didn’t recognize. One was a little girl, about eleven, and the other two were adults.

 “Those are the outer scouts.” A voice said behind them. Heero masked his surprise and turned around. The woman, Setsuna, was back. “Usagi will be fine. She’ll be up in about an hour. Now, Heero, I believe you have a class to get to. You’d better go or you’ll be late since you have to get your bag from home first. Come by after your classes. I have some things to discus with you.” With this speech, she left the room, allowing Heero to let himself out. Heero walked home quickly, ignored Duo’s questions, grabbed his back and went to class. His first class that day was Political Science. Quatre had made him take it. Sure enough, Quatre and Trowa were already there sitting in the second row. Heero took a seat behind them. The class started and Heero found himself zoning out. Something that monster earlier had said, about Queen Metallia. He remembered Usagi telling him about Metallia and Beryl, but she didn’t seem to know about this new general. Heero thought her name sounded familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it.

 ‘Wait a minute.’ He thought. ‘How did I know that general, Topaz or whatever, was female?’ This question bothered him for the rest of the class. After the class ended, Heero left without saying a word to Quatre or Trowa. He went to his final class, not surprisingly, Japanese. According to his enrollment form, he was an American. The school had no idea he was Japanese. He almost smiled at the thought of seeing the look on the professor’s face when he ‘learned’ Japanese almost immediately. He walked into the class and was hardly surprised at seeing none other than Usagi there. She waived him over and he joined her in sitting in the first row. The teacher walked in right on time. When Usagi saw the teacher, she gasped. Heero could see nothing out of the ordinary in her. The professor had long, wavy, aqua colored hair and didn’t look much older than her students. She saw Usagi staring at her and winked, a wink that was obviously meant just for Usagi alone.

 ‘She knows this person.’ Heero thought. A word came to mind. :::Neptune::: Heero almost gasped also. Recognition dawned in his head. From Usagi’s description of the scouts, this was most likely Kaioh Michiru. Sailor Neptune. It had to be. She matched Usagi’s descriptions perfectly.

 “Konnichiwa seito (Hello students). Welcome to Advanced Japanese. I’m Professor Kaioh.” She said. Throughout the entire class period, Heero noticed the professor shooting looks at Usagi. The class was completely useless to Heero, since he was from Japan, but he made an effort to concentrate. The class ended finally and the professor dismissed the class. Surprisingly, she assigned no homework. The students quickly left the room, leaving Usagi and Heero alone with Michiru Kaioh.

 “Michiru-chan!!!” Usagi said excitedly. She eagerly hugged the woman. “Why are you here? Did Setsuna-chan send you? Are the other outers here?”

 Michiru shot a look at Heero, who was standing a few feet behind Usagi. “Usa-chan, I don’t think this is the time to talk about that.” She said quietly. Usagi followed her gaze to Heero.

 “Oh, him. Don’t worry. He knows everything.” Usagi said. “So?”

 Michiru sighed. If Usagi trusted him then he must be okay. “Setsuna did send us. All three of us are here. Haruka is teaching a mechanics course and Hotaru is enrolled in a nearby middle school.” She said. “Setsuna told us there is a new enemy.”

 Usagi nodded. “Hai. I’ll tell you all about it. I’ve got to get to my last class or I’ll be late. You and the others can come by my place around seven. Setsuna knows where it is. I have to go. Sayonara, Michiru-chan!” She said. She and Heero left the room. Heero walked with her across the campus to her last class- Mythology. (I don’t know if this is a real course. I don’t know if ANY of these are real courses. Just hang with me, okay?) After he dropped Usagi off, he left the campus and, remembering that Setsuna wanted to talk to him, he went to Usagi’s apartment. When he got there, he knocked on the door. Almost immediately, the door was opened and he was let in be Setsuna. She led him to the couch and poured him a cup of green tea.

 “What did you want to talk to me about?” Heero asked in his usual monotone. For some reason, he didn’t feel comfortable around this woman like he did around Usagi.

 “How have your dreams been lately?” She asked.

 Heero frowned. How did she know about that? “Why?” He asked, his voice going cold.

 “You are beginning to remember your past. I’m here to help you do that.” She replied.

 “My past? What do you mean.” Heero asked.

 “You were alive during the Silver Millennium. If you’ll let me, I’ll return your memories to you.”  Setsuna said.

 Heero sat for a moment before nodding once. Setsuna held up a pen and shouted “Pluto Planet Power, Make-up!” Once she had transformed, she called her time staff and held its tip to Heero’s forehead. She said one simple word before everything went dark. “Remember.”

***

Heero’s memories…

 It was his first day serving as a soldier on the moon. He was nervous, but he didn’t show it. His general was giving them orders, but for once, Heero wasn’t listening. Instead, his attention was focused on a girl, about his age, watching them from behind a wall. He knew who she was. Hell, the entire kingdom knew who she was. But what Heero didn’t know was why the princess was watching them. He turned his attention away from her and began to pay attention to his general.

 After he was given his orders, he went to his room to change out of his uniform and into some more comfortable clothes. He had the rest of the day off, so he decided to go out to see the Moon Kingdom’s famous gardens. He walked down the path, surrounded by hundreds of different flowers. Ahead of him, he heard laughing. Then, out of nowhere, two girls came running towards him. The girl in front wasn’t looking where she was going and crashed into Heero. The girl that was chasing her stopped right by her. Heero struggled to get up. When he finally got a look at who was on him, he almost had a heart attack. He quickly got up, then helped none other than Princess Serenity herself to her feet.

 “I’m so sorry, you majesty.” He said, bowing.

 The princess laughed. “Oh, none of that princess stuff. Call me Serenity. And this is my friend Minako.” She gestured to the girl behind her. “Are you okay. I didn’t mean to run into you like that.” She said.

 “I’m fine.” He said simply.

 “Good! So, who are you? I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.” She said.

 “My name is Heero Yuy. I’m one of the new soldiers here.” He said. “I’m sure you have other things to do than to talk to a lowly soldier like me though. Good bye, Princess.” He walked away before she could respond. Before he was out of earshot, he heard the princess say, “Wow, he was cute! I wonder if I’ll see him again.” Her friend, Minako then said, “Serenity, your engaged to Prince Endymion. Did you forget?” The rest of the conversation was lost to him. As he walked away, he couldn’t get the picture of her out of his head. He knew something was wrong with him. He’d only met her once and already he felt something for her. Over the next several months, he saw the Princess numerous times. Occasionally, she was alone, but usually she was with her fiance. Every time Heero saw her with him, his heart broke. He didn’t know why, but he loved her. And he knew she could never love him back because he was just a soldier and she was the princess and heir of the greatest kingdom in the universe. 

 

 

Chapter Five

 

Pain, blinding pain. Then darkness. Blessed, blessed darkness. Heero struggled to keep conscious. He was on the floor, having fallen off the couch during one memory wave. He had somehow managed to push himself to his knees in-between two memories. Wave after wave assaulted him, each followed by a moment of darkness and numbness. Finally, the memories stopped coming and Heero fell to the floor in exhaustion. He felt someone pick him up and help him to the couch but he couldn't focus his eyes. He heard a woman's voice talk to him quietly.

 "Shh... It's okay. It always hurts more at the beginning. Just rest." The voice said. Heero succumbed to the tiredness and fell unconscious.

***

 Usagi trudged home with her bag full of books she had gotten in the library. Her Mythology teacher had given them a three-page essay that was due the next day. Usagi had gone to the library to get books before returning home. When she got home, surprisingly, the door was unlocked and Setsuna was sitting at the kitchen table eating tsukuda-ni (tiny crustations boiled in soy sauce and sweet saké. It's better than it sounds). Since it was one of Usagi's least favorite foods, she shook her head when Setsuna offered some and went to her room. On her way, she saw Setsuna's door open and a figure lying on the bed. She took a step into the room and gasped. It was Heero. What was he doing there? Usagi's heartbeat sped up.

 'No.' She thought to herself. 'I WON'T fall in love with him. Even if he is cute and nice and different...' she shook her head. With a sigh, she left the room and went to her own room. She dropped her bag on the bed and turned on her laptop. She'd been in America for months and had hardly touched it. Her cell phone was lying in a drawer collecting dust. She needed to get a new number so no one could reach her. After booting up the computer and dropping her bag on the bed, she went out to join Setsuna. Surprisingly, Heero had joined her. His face was expressionless. Usagi went to the fridge and pulled out an apple. She went over to the table and joined the other two.

 “Why are you here?” Usagi asked Heero. Heero didn’t say anything, just continued poking at his food. Usagi was confused, but just finished eating her apple. Halfway through the meal, there was a beeping sound. It was different then Usagi’s communicator, more high-pitched. Heero pushed his food away and got up.

 “I have to go.” He said, more to Setsuna then to Usagi. Setsuna nodded and he left the house without saying goodbye.

 Heero went to the first payphone he saw and dialed Quatre’s house. Wufei answered. “You paged me?” Heero asked.

 “Yeah.” Wufei replied. “We got another mission. Come over so you can get the details.

 Heero hung the phone and went home. He couldn’t focus on anything. One particular memory kept playing itself over and over in his head.

***

 Even though the Moon had been expecting Queen Beryl’s attack, nobody was prepared for this. Men were going down left and right. Youmas and brainwashed humans were swarming over piles of dead soldiers. Heero didn’t know how he’d stayed alive so long, when almost every other man around him was dead. Behind him, he could here the shouts of the Sailor Soldiers fighting off the monsters that had broken through the army. A girl’s screamed suddenly and Heero grimaced. One of the Sailor Soldiers was down. The first scream was followed less than a minute later by another, than two more almost simultaneously. Al of the sudden, there was silence. Heero realized the battle was over, they had lost. He turned around and made his way back to the ruined palace. Only a dozen others joined him. He ignored the bodies and blood lying around him until he spotted something golden-yellow. His heart stopped in his chest as he realized what he was looking at. There, on the ground, lying like an angel, was the Princess Serenity. Heero rushed over to her and frantically searched for a pulse. Finding none, he did the only thing he could. He reached for a dagger and plunged it into his chest. His last thought was, ‘Serenity, I wish I could have told you how much I love you.’

***

 Heero frowned slightly as the memory replayed itself. He still loved her, he realized. Maybe this time, though, he could tell her he loved her. He frowned at that thought. ‘I can barley look at her, and I’m thinking of telling her I love her.’ He thought. He pushed the front door of Quatre’s mansion opened and went into the living room. The other pilots were sitting around a table looking at plans of a military base.

 “Heero, there you are!” The ever-cheerful Duo said. “Where’ve you been? I haven’t seen you all day.”

 Heero ignored Duo’s question and instead asked, “What’s the mission?”

 Wufei mumbled something under his breath that sounded and awful lot like ‘weak onna’. Then he said, “Some lady contacted the doctors about an hour ago. She needs us to break into the military base in Nevada and retrieve the disk labeled Lunar. Then, of course, we need to destroy the base and get out. A simple mission.”

 Heero was now paying attention. A disk named Lunar? He’d have to check this one out. “Mission accepted.” He said as he left the room. He went to his room to change and then went down to an underground hanger to get his gundam ready. When he got there, the others were ready to go. They fired the gundams up and took off.

***

 After Heero left, Usagi began questioning Setsuna. “Why was he here? Why wouldn’t he look or talk to me? Is he mad at me?”

 “Usagi, he isn’t mad at you. He was exhausted so I let him rest in my room. Don’t worry about it.” Setsuna answered.

 Usagi still had questions but kept them to herself. She finished eating and went to her room to work on her paper. After she’d left, Setsuna sighed. “I’m sorry Princess.” She said in a barely audible voice. “It’s not for me to tell you.” She put her dish in the sink and began to wash it. She could hear Usagi in the other room typing and clicking away on her laptop. The doorbell rang just as Setsuna finished drying the dish and she went to answer it.

 “Konnichiwa minna!” She said cheerfully to the three figures standing in the doorway. She led Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru in and seated them on the couch.

***

 Heero crept silently down the corridor. According to the blueprints, the main computer room would be just around the next corner. He’d had minimal contact with soldiers so far, and hadn’t had to use his gun yet. Yet. As he rounded the corner, he was confronted by four soldiers. They aimed their guns at him but he fired four shots, one right after the other. All four hit their targets and the soldiers fell to the ground. Heero winced. ‘I hope nobody heard that.’ He thought. He opened the door and stepped into the empty room. He went over to the nearest computer and sifted through a pile of disks until he found the one he was looking for. It was a plain black disk, with the word LUNAR written on it. He tucked it into his pocket and left the base the same was he’d entered.

“That was too easy.” He said to his fellow pilots as he booted up Wing Zero.

 “Yeah, but it’s not over yet.” Quatre said as dozens of mobile suits came out of a hanger. The gundams fell into a defense position as the suits swarmed over them. Wing Zero’s beam cannon took out most of them, and soon the fight was over. The gundams had only sustained minimal damage.

 “That was still way too easy.” Wufei said as they flew back to the city. “Why would a base that size only have that few suits? And none of them were mobile dolls either.” The rest of the trip was in quiet, except for Duo’s occasional comments. They landed back at Quatre’s house early the next morning, just as the sun was rising. Heero went up to his room and pulled out his laptop. He took the disk from his pocket and stuck it in the drive. Soon, the screen went black and a woman’s voice appeared on the screen. The voice was familiar, but Heero couldn’t place it.

 “If you are listening to this right now, then events have fallen out as Sailor Pluto predicted. I am Queen Serenity, former queen of the Moon Kingdom.” The voice said. Before the dead queen could continue, Heero closed the program. He quickly copied the disk, then put the copy in his school bag, slung it over his shoulder, and took off for Usagi’s house. It was early, but he knew she wouldn’t mind being woken up for this.   
    
  

 

Chapter Six

 

Usagi was awoken by someone knocking on the door. She sat up and stretched. Her back was stiff since she’d fallen asleep at her computer last night. She looked down at her wrinkled clothes and quickly threw off her t-shirt. She pulled a fresh one over her head as she walked out of the room. The knocking began again.   
“I’m coming, just a second.” She yelled. As she walked down the hallway, she noticed Setsuna’s bed was empty She had left again. Usagi glanced at the clock as she entered the living room. Who the hell was knocking on her door at 6:48 in the morning? She unlocked the door and opened it to reveal a very wide-awake Heero.

 “Usagi-san. Gomen for waking you up so early, but I needed to show you something.” He said quickly. He reached into his bag and pulled out a black floppy disk. He handed it to her.

 “What is this for?” Usagi asked.

 “Do you have a computer?” Heero asked. At her nod, he continued. “Go open the file on it.”

 Usagi motioned Heero to follow her and led him to her bedroom. She moved the mouse around to turn off the screen saver, than inserted the disk in the drive. The screen turned black and a woman began to speak.  _“If you are listening to this right now, then events have fallen out as Sailor Pluto predicted. I am Queen Serenity, former queen of the Moon Kingdom.”_  At the sound of her mother’s voice, tears began to roll down Usagi’s face. The Queen continued.  _“Pluto says this transmission will one day reach my daughter, and it is her I’m addressing now. I will tell you the truth of how my kingdom was destroyed. The Silver Millennium was thought to be destroyed by Queen Metallia and her servant Beryl. This is the truth, but not the entire truth. The Moon had close ties to the Earth just before the war. We told our battle plan to the royalty of Earth. They were captured by the Negaverse and were forced to tell our plans. Prince Endymion, my daughter’s fiance, pretended to be on our side, but it was he who gave his parents to Negaverse in hopes of gaining power. I’m sorry you had to learn the truth, my daughter. I hope you will one day understand why I never told you. Goodbye.”_

 The screen retuned to normal and the disk popped out of the drive. Heero turned to see what Usagi’s reaction would be to this. Her face was a mixture of emotions. Pain, Grief, Anger. Heero tentatively reached over to Usagi and put his arm around her shoulder. She leaned into his arm and began to cry.

 “Shh… It’s okay. We’ll get back at that bastard. Don’t worry about it.” He said.

 “Thanks Heero.” She said. “I’ll get back at him. He must still remember. That’s why he was with me. He just wanted to rule Crystal Tokyo.”

 “Come on Usagi. We have an eight forty-five class this morning.” Heero said. “I’ll treat you to breakfast.”

 At the mention of food, she perked up a bit. “Alright, but I have to shower and get dressed.” She said. He looked down at her clothes. She shrugged. “I fell asleep at my computer.” She said. She pushed Heero out of the room and quickly showered and dressed. When she came out half and hour later , she grabbed her school bag and they left. They walked back to his house, where the other pilots were still sleeping. He led her to the garage and to his black BMW convertible. She raised an eyebrow.

 “How did you get money to get a car like this?” She asked. “And whose house is this? It’s huge!”

 Heero smiled a little bit. “This house belongs to a friend of mine, Quatre. I’m just borrowing the car. He won’t miss it, he’s got several others.” He said, opening the door for her. She got in and fastened her belt while he walked around and got in the other side. He started the car and pulled out of the garage.

 “So, where are we going to eat?” Usagi asked.

 “I know a really good café on the other side of the bridge.” He said.

 “Are you sure we won’t be late? We’ll get caught in the early morning traffic.” Usagi pointed out.

 “Don’t worry about it.” Heero said. “We’ll be back in plenty of time. It’s just on the other side of the bridge.

 Half an hour later, Heero and Usagi were sitting across a table from each other in a small bistro. Usagi was sipping her coffee and eating a roll with jam and Heero had ordered orange juice and a bagel. As Usagi finished eating her breakfast, she looked down at her watch. “Heero, we have less than thirty minutes to get back.” She pointed out.

 Heero sighed and stood up. “Don’t worry. There’s hardly any traffic on the bridge at this time of the morning. Everyone’s trying to get into the city, the opposite way we’re going.” They went to the car and got in. Sure enough, when they reached the bridge, they found it almost totally empty. It took them twenty-five minutes to get to the university and park. They ran to their Calculus class and made it in the door just as the class was about to start. Duo sent a curious look at the two as they made their way up the steps to sit down. The teacher walked in and class began.

***

 Heero felt himself dozing off. He hadn’t gotten any sleep last night and he was totally worn out. He was about to fall asleep when he felt something hit his cheek. He looked up and saw a tiny piece of paper folded up on his desk. He opened it up and saw the words ‘Why are you so tired?’ and a little bunny with Z’s coming out of it. He looked over at Usagi and saw her looking at him with a questioning look. He pulled out a pen and wrote a back. ‘I didn’t get any sleep last night.’ He folded the note back up and flicked it over to her. He yawned and looked up at the teacher. The doctors had taught him this material when he was just a kid, so he didn’t really need to pay attention. The teacher dismissed the class twenty excruciating minutes later. Usagi joined him as he walked to Astronomy.

 “Why didn’t you get any sleep last night?” Usagi asked. “And, now that I think about it, how did you come by that disk?”

 “I can’t answer either of those questions.” Heero said. “Don’t get mad at me, I’m just not allowed to.”

 “Why not? Are you some kind of secret agent of something?” Usagi asked.

 Heero blinked. She didn’t realize how close to the truth she’d actually come. “Come on, we’re going to be late for class.” He said, ignoring her questions.

 Usagi noticed this but didn’t say anything. Everyone was allowed to have his or her own secrets. They entered the class and sat down. The teacher began to lecture and Usagi noticed Heero wasn’t taking notes. Instead, he was just sitting there with a bored look on his face. “Why aren’t you taking notes?” She whispered.

 ‘What do I say?’ Heero thought quickly. ‘I can’t tell her I know all the material because I was in the Silver Millennium.’ Out loud, he said, “I already know the material. I studied last night.”

 “You remind me of someone I once knew.” Usagi said. “One of my former friends was always studying and she always knew the material before it was taught.” A look of sadness mixed with pain flashed through her eyes, but was quickly replaced by her usual happiness. She turned her attention back to the professor for the rest of class.

***

 After all her classes were over, Usagi walked home with her bag full of books. Another night of homework. She went home and flipped on her laptop so she could get to work. Maybe she’d be in bed before ten that night. And she still had to finish that Mythology paper. As her computer signed on to the Internet, she noticed her email box had one message in it. She clicked the mail icon and opened the letter. She instantly recognized the sender’s address.

Princess_Mercury@hotmail.com.

She hesitantly opened the message.

_Usagi- your mother informed us that you moved away. When she wouldn’t give us your new address, Rei did a fire reading to locate you. The other senshi are on their way to find you and bring you home, even if it’s against your will. I’m sending this warning as quickly as I can. Please know I was not a part of this. I’m sorry, Princess. Please, get out of San Francisco while you still can. ~Mizuno Ami_

 Usagi let out a hiss as she read the email again. It was good to know the others were coming; it would give her time to get out of the area. It was also good to know that one of the senshi was on her side. Unless Ami was lying, which didn’t seem like something Ami would do. Forgetting her homework, Usagi stepped into the middle of the room and said, “Setsuna, I know you’re watching. I command you to come forth.”

 A bright, purple flash filled the room, then died down to reveal Setsuna standing there. “Yes, Princess. I have been watching. And I know someone who can find a safe place for you to go.” Setsuna calmly walked to the phone and dialed a number. “Hello? May I speak with Heero?” She said into the receiver. “Heero? Good. I need a favor of you. Can we come over? All right, thanks. We’ll be right there.” She said. She hung up the phone and turned to face Usagi.

 “What the hell is going on?” Usagi asked. “How’s Heero going to help me hide from the inner senshi?”

 “Heero isn’t who he appears to be.” Setsuna said. “Now, throw as many clothes and necessities as you can into a duffle bag and let’s go.”

 Setsuna almost dragged Usagi out of the building and to her car in the parking lot. “Why can’t I just stay with you until it’s safe?” Usagi asked.

 “That would be one of the first places they would look.” Setsuna responded. She pulled up in front of the mansion Heero was staying in. The door was opened be Heero.

 “Hurry and come in.” He said. “The others aren’t here right now, but they’ll be back any minute. Now, what’s wrong?”

 Setsuna explained the situation to him. “I was wondering if you could hide her in the basement with…”

 Heero cut her off. “How the hell do you know about those?” He asked. Then, he seemed to remember. “Oh yeah. It’s fine with me, but I don’t know what the others would say if they caught her down there.”

 “She knows how to hide in an emergency. Don’t worry about it.” Setsuna said. She tilted her head up, as if listening to someone no one else could hear. “I must go now. Thank you Heero. I owe you one.” She said before disappearing.

 Heero jumped at a noise. “The others are back. Quickly, follow me. And whatever you see, pretend you didn’t. I’ll explain everything later.” He led her to a staircase that led down into the basement. At the bottom of the stairs, there was a door with a keypad next to it. Heero punched some keys and led Usagi down a long corridor. After a few feet, the corridor opened into an enormous cavern. In the dim light, Usagi could make out five huge figures. She didn’t have time to stare, though, because Heero led her past them to another door. He opened it and gestured for her to go inside. It was a simple room with a high window that allowed a little bit of light to filter in. “You can stay here for a while. I’ll bring you food and some blankets when it’s safe. There’s a bathroom through that door. Be as quiet as you can. This room is right below the library, so you’ll be able to hear everything that goes on up there and they’ll be able to hear everything that goes on down here.” With that, he left, closing the door silently behind him.   
 

 

Chapter Seven

 

 In a courtyard of a Shinto temple, four girls, a man, and two cats stood in a circle. The four girls joined hands and surrounded the other three. One of the cats, a black one, looked up and shouted “Sailor Teleport!!!” Red, blue, yellow, and green light mixed together and surrounded the seven in a dome of energy. Suddenly, the energy disappeared, carrying the people with it.

On the other side of the Pacific Ocean…

Usagi jumped as the door to her hiding place opened and sighed as Heero entered. “Oh, it’s only you.” She said. “I’ve been hearing footsteps above me all day long. Have you heard from Setsuna?”

Heero set down the blankets and bag of food he was carrying. “Yes, about ten minutes ago. She says the others have arrived and have already visited the time gate.” He said. “I got you a double cheeseburger from McDonalds® and a coke. Is that okay?”

Usagi nodded happily, forgetting about her problems for a moment. Heero sat down on a box and watched her devour the food. To his shock, the food disappeared within a few minutes. “Now.” She said once she was done.

“You said you’d explain what the hell those this in the other room are.”

Heero sighed. He’d been hoping she’d forget about those. Damn it. “Oh yeah, those. Have you ever seen the gundams on tv?” He asked.

She nodded. “Yes. But what does that have to do with those.” Then realization struck. “You mean, those things out there ‘are’ the gundams. And you and your friends are the pilots?” Heero nodded. “But why you five? You’re too young to be saving the world.”

“Speak for yourself.” Heero said.

Usagi blinked, but then asked, “How long have you been a pilot?”

“My whole life.” Was the reply.

“You mean, all of you guys have been soldiers your entire life?” She asked. The thought of that horrified her. At least she’d had fourteen years to be normal.

“No, Just me. Quatre comes from a wealthy family. I’m not too sure how he became a pilot, though. Duo grew up in a church, I think. He doesn’t talk about his past much. Trowa, well no one’s sure about him. He claims he doesn’t have a name. He took the name Trowa Barton after the real Trowa died. Wufei was married, but after his wife died he swore to avenge her.  I was raised as early as I can remember by the doctor who built my gundam. I’ve killed so many people. So much blood is on my hands.” Heero said. He felt an arm go around his shoulders.

“I’m sorry.” Usagi said quietly. “At least I had a normal life for a while. I’ve only been fighting for four years, but you’ve been fighting your whole life. That must be why you’re always so cold an emotionless.”

Heero looked up into her crystal blue eyes. She was glad he’d confided in her. She knew it must be hard for him to open up to any one. He stared at her; both absorbed in the others eyes. A voice forced Heero to look away. It was Duo, calling for him. “I have to go. I’ll be back later.” He said quietly. Before he left, he hesitantly reached out and placed his hand on her cheek. She looked up at him, startled. Quickly, before she could react, his lips brushed hers.  “Thank you for listening.” He whispered. Before she knew it, he was gone.

Usagi’s hand rose to her mouth. She felt where he’d kissed her. It had been so different from Mamoru’s kisses. It had been soft and warm. She sighed and fell in to a chair. “Heero…” She whispered out loud.

***

 Heero quickly left the storage area to meet Duo. He couldn’t understand why’d he’d just done that. He’d felt something when he’d kissed her. She was different. Duo looked at his friend with concern.

 “Hey, Heero. What’s up? You’ve been acting weird lately.” Duo asked.

 Heero didn’t respond. Duo finally gave up and went off to annoy one of the others.

***

At the time gates…

 Setsuna stared at the five people and two cats that stood before her. She stared coldly at the people who had betrayed her princess.

 “Pluto, I’ll ask you one more time. Where is Serenity?” The man asked.

 “And I’ll tell you one more time, I refuse to tell you. You’ve done her enough harm. Now, just leave her alone. She doesn’t need any of you to force her back. The future is already changing. Chibi-Usa has been replaced by another, just as Neo King Endymion has. A new king will rule Crystal Tokyo with Serenity.” Pluto said.

 Mamoru looked at her with cold fury before turning and disappearing. His last words could be heard. “You’re wrong Pluto. I will have Serenity. She shall be mine. You just wait and see.” The other senshi and the cats stared at her for a moment before following. Mercury was the last to leave.

 “Pluto.” She said softly. “Please tell Usa- no the Princess- that I am so sorry. Tell her I’m still on her side.” She said before she, too, disappeared.

 For the first time in a while, Pluto smiled. Finally, something went right. Mercury could be her link with the inners. Pluto really felt as though she could trust Ami. She disappeared to go talk with the outers.

***

 Usagi had been dozing peacefully when her communicator beeped. She quickly opened it and pushed the button that would allow her to listen in. “Michiru, Hotaru, Setsuana. Come in. This is Haruka. There’s a youma in the library. It’s draining energy.”

 “We’re on our way.” Three voices said simultaneously.  “And Princess, since I’m sure you’re listening,” Pluto said. “Do NOT, under and circumstances, transform. It will lead Mamoru right to you.” Usagi sighed and severed the connection. ‘I have to do something.’ She thought. A memory suddenly surfaced. When she’d been fighting that giant youma, Heero had shot it with a gun. And he’d wounded it, too. Something clicked in her head. She cautiously left the hiding area and made her way through the house unnoticed. By luck, she somehow found Heero’s room. She peered through a crack in his door to make sure, then opened the door and slipped in. Heero jumped up as the door opened.

 “What the hell are you doing up here?” He asked her.

 “Shh. Keep your voice down.” The blond replied. “I need to use your gun.”

 This surprised Heero. “Why?” He asked simply.

 “I can’t transform because it will lead the others to me, but the outers are fighting a youma and they might need my help. I can’t just sit here while they put their lives on the line for me.” She said.

 Heero thought it over for less than a second. “I’m coming with you.” He said. Usagi impatiently grabbed his hand and led him out the door. He yanked on her arm. “Careful. You don’t want to be caught here, do you?” He asked. He cautiously led her to the front door and to the car waiting for him. They climbed in and sped off.

 “It’s at the public library. Stop across the road, though. I wanna get in unseen.” She said. He did as she directed and parked out front. “Wait, I want to be disguised before I go in.” She pulled a jewel-topped pen out of her subspace pocket and threw it into the air. “Disguise Power! Turn me into a secret agent!” Pink light surrounded her, replacing her clothes and hair. When the light faded, she was wearing black and had sunglasses on. Her hair was short and covered by a black hat. She gave Heero the pen and he repeated the process. She put the pen away and led him through the main door. Almost as soon as they entered, they found the battle. The senshi were fighting in a large reading room. The monster resembled a book with a head, arms, and legs.

 “I am Novela!” It shouted. (Do you see the creativity flowing?) “I will not fail my mission to get the Moon Princess.”

 Sailor Uranus rolled her eyes. “Just like all the others.” She said. “I’ll get it. WORLD SHAKING!!!” The yellow energy ball zoomed to the youma and hit it dead on, throwing it into a wall. It got up with only a few scratches. “Oh crap.” Uranus muttered.

 Usagi and Heero had, by this time, ducked behind a bookshelf to watch the fight. Neither of them were prepared as the youma burst into flames. Both of them and the four senshi turned in surprise to see where the attack had come from.

 “A pretty soldier in a sailor suit, I am Sailor Mars.” A woman’s voice said. A girl in a red fuku appeared, followed by four others.

 “And I am Sailor Venus!”

 “Sailor Jupiter!”

 “And Sailor Mercury!”

 Together, the four girls said, “And we’ll punish you!!!”

 A man in a black cape and top hat jumped down. “And I am Tuxedo Kamen!” He said.

 Usagi could barely keep herself from transforming to attack them. The outers made no attempt to hide their disgust. The youma stood up, looking slightly black. It turned to the new arrivals. “Paper Cut!!!” It shouted, sending sheets of razor-sharp paper at the senshi.  The senshi ducked the attack and Mercury powered up.   
 “Let’s see what happens to books when they get wet.” She said. “MERCURY AQUA RHASPODY!!!” She said.

The water hit the youma full force, but instead of weakening it, it only made it angrier.

 Usagi felt this would be a great time to act. She took a gun Heero handed her and stepped out from behind the shelf. She aimed the gun and fired. The force sent her recoiling, but the bullet hit the youma in the chest (or the equivalent of a chest). Heero stepped out as well and wrapped his arms around her to hold her steady as she fired again. This time, the youma staggered backwards. One more shot and it slumped against the wall in pain.

 The inner senshi looked at the pair in complete shock, but the outers quickly recovered and powered up to finish it off.

 “SPACE SWORD BLASTER!!!”

 “SUBMARINE REFLECTION!!!”

 “DEAD SCREAM!!!”

 “SILENCE GLAVE SURPRISE!!!”

 The four attacks combined and hit the monster with such force it disintegrated. After the lights had died down, the two mysterious people were gone. The inners looked around confusedly, but no trace of them was found. Now that the monster was gone, the scouts finally got around to doing what they had first intended to do.

 “Where’s Usagi?” Mamoru asked the four older senshi.

***

 Outside the library, the two ‘mysterious people’ were getting into the car. Usagi was laughing and Heero was trying to keep a straight face. “And the looks on their faces! That was priceless.” She said laughingly.

 “I just hope they don’t figure out it was you.” Heero said.

 Usagi’s cheerful expression fell for a moment. “Oh yeah.” Then she smiled again. “But they have no idea who you are. They won’t be able to find us!” She said.

 Heero nodded. “That’s true. Hey, you want to go grab a bite to eat?” He asked.

 “Heero.” Usagi said. “If theirs one thing you should know about me, it’s that I’m always hungry.”

***

 The senshi had gotten nowhere after their talk with the outers. Pluto had vanished as soon as the fight had ended and Uranus had been all but hostile to them. ‘They definitely know where she’s hiding.’ Rei thought. Something one of the others said snapped her out of her thoughts.

 “…get some food? I’m starving.” Minako said.

 “Yeah, I haven’t eaten since we left Japan. Teleporting is seriously exhausting.” Makoto agreed. She pointed to a Japanese restaurant further up the street. “Let’s try there.” She suggested.

 The others agreed and headed towards the restaurant.

***

In a secluded region of the Negaverse…

 “I want the Ginzuishou!!!” A woman clad in black said angrily. She glared at the woman standing in front of her. “Opal. How come you haven’t defeated the Sailor brats yet?” She asked.

 “General Topaz.” She said as she bowed. “The scouts have greatly increased in strength since they fought Metallia. I will put my strongest warrior on the job.” She said.

 Topaz waived her away. “No, no… I think it’s time I paid our little Princess a visit.” She said.

***

 Heero and Usagi were sitting in a small booth in Yoshiba’s Japanese Cuisine. Heero had slid his arm around Usagi’s waist and she had leaned against his shoulder. Neither of them paid attention as the door behind them opened and a party of five walked in. The hostess led the group past their booth to a table across from them. Usagi and Heero continued to look at the menu and didn’t notice the group.

 “I think I’ll have the sushi.” Usagi said. One of the girls at the other table looked at the cause of the voice and dropped her glass in shock. This caused the couple to look up. “Oh, kami-sama no!” Usagi said. The other four noticed them just then and stood up as quickly as possible. Usagi and Heero stood up to face them.

 “Well, well Usako.” Mamoru said. “I finally found you.” 

 

 

Chapter Eight

 

Usagi’s hand flew to her mouth to stifle a scream as she looked upon the man standing in front of her. Only dimly did she note the other four girls surrounding him. But him, he just smiled evilly at her and watched as she looked at them in fear.

 “What?” He said. “No ‘hello Mamo-chan’?” He asked. “Come on Usako, we finally found you and now the game’s over. Let’s go home now.”

 Usagi finally found a way to talk, and she narrowed her eyes in anger at the group. “I’m not going with you Mamoru-baka.” She said. “Now leave me alone.”

 Mamoru laughed harshly. “Oh, Usako. What about Chibiusa?” He said. “You wouldn’t want to kill her. And the rest of the people on earth. Who’s going to save them during the freezing?”

 Usagi looked down, a small tear trickling down her cheek. Heero noticed and grabbed her arm. Startled, she looked up. Frightened crystal blue orbs met calm Prussian blue. “I have to go.” She whispered.

 “Iie.” Heero said. He glanced over at the now smirking Mamoru, his eyes hardening to ice as they roamed over the five people. He bent his head to her ear and whispered quietly.

 “Don’t listen to him.” Mamoru spat. His blue eyes, which were now an almost-black color, studied the boy. “He knows nothing about what is going on here.”

 Heero stepped forward. “I know enough.” He said coldly. He fixed each girl with one of his icier looks. “And I know that if you don’t leave her alone, I’ll kill you.”

 Rei wrapped her arms around Mamoru’s waist and smiled at Usagi. “Oh, but Usagi-chan.” She said. “You don’t want your poor family to suffer, do you?”

 “Nani?” Usagi whispered. She looked at each of her former senshi in turn, trying to figure out what Rei had meant. “What do you mean, suffer?”

 It was Minako who decided to answer this question and she grinned at the shorter girl with a sly look. “Oh Usagi, it’s quite simple. You come with us or,” She laughed softly. “We kill off your family one by one.”

 Usagi gasped. “You can’t.” She stared unbelievingly at the people in front of her. “How could you do such a thing? What caused you to turn on me like this?”

 “Rei has proved to be a much better ruler than you would ever be.” Mamoru said. He looked down at the girl wrapped around him. “Personally, I don’t ever want to see you again…”

 “So leave her alone!” Heero cut in.

 Mamoru ignored him and continued. “But unfortunately, we need the Ginzuishou. So we’re going to get that power one way or the other.”

 Ami, who hadn’t participated at all during the discussion, glanced around the restaurant. “Mamoru.” She said quietly. “Perhaps we should continue this somewhere else.”

 Mamoru nodded. “Hai, we’ll continue this soon.” He said. “And don’t forget, Usagi. The lives of your parents and brother rest on this decision.” He brushed past them out the door.

 The other senshi followed closely behind, Ami walking the slowest. As she walked past her, she handed Usagi a folded up piece of paper before she quickly caught up with the others.

***

 Usagi watched the quiet water senshi follow the others out of the restaurant. As soon as the door had closed behind them, she unfolded the note and quickly read it over. As soon as she finished, she sighed in relief.

 “Ami-chan gave me the address that they’re staying at while they’re here in America.” She explained when she saw the look on Heero’s face. “And she says that Mamoru isn’t really going to do anything to my family. He’s just trying to frighten me.”

 Heero nodded slowly. His eyes hardened as he thought about that bastard Mamoru. ‘I’m going to make him wish he’d never been reborn if he hurts her.’ He vowed silently. “We should get out of here.” He said suddenly. “It isn’t safe anymore.”

 “Hai, you’re right.” She agreed. A sudden thought passes through her mind. ‘What if Mamoru really does hurt my family.’ She thought. She shivered slightly. Her appetite was totally gone now. ‘I’ll have to do something about this.’

***

 “Did you deliver the note?” Mamoru asked, his eyes flashing red as he stared at the figure in front of him.

 The person nodded, an emotionless look on her face. “Hai, Mamoru-san.” She whispered tightly. She choked back tears as the incident was recounted. ‘I’m betraying my best friend. My princess.’ She thought. But she had no choice. Her voice wavered as she spoke. “You promised you’d let my mother go now.” She said.

 Mamoru shook his head. “You’re job isn’t done yet.” He said. “How do I know that when I let your mother go, you’ll remain here and under my control.” His head shook abruptly. “No, she’ll remain my prisoner until your job is completed and Serenity is returned to us.”

 Ami struggled not to let her tears fall. “Demo,” Mamoru looked at her sharply, daring her to argue with him. “May I at least see her?”

 The man thought for a moment before nodding. “You have ten minutes.” He said finally. He gestured for one of the figures by the door to approach him. The tall woman bowed her head as she stopped by his side. “Makoto.” The woman looked up. “Take Ami to her mother’s cell. She has ten minutes and not a second more.”

 Makoto nodded. “Hai Mamoru-san.” She said. She signaled for the blue haired girl to follow her and left the room.

***

 The elder Mizuno looked up as the door to her small room was opened. The light from the hallway lit up her dark room. They wouldn’t even let her have a lamp. It wasn’t like she was in a cell. No, she was being kept in a tiny bedroom with a bed, small bathroom, and nothing else. Not even a window. Just her and the darkness. She didn’t know who her captors were, or what they wanted from her.

 She looked at the watch she’d left on the bed. It was too early for them to bring a meal to her, so she couldn’t figure out what was going on. The figure that appeared in the doorway was one she recognized, however. Even though she couldn’t see a face, she still recognized her only daughter’s silhouette.

 “Ami-chan?” She asked hesitantly. The door closed behind the girl, blanketing the room in darkness once again. The girl formed a small ball of flickering blue fire in one hand. The light that it produced allowed Dr. Mizuno to see that the new person was, indeed, her musume. “What’s going on, Ami?” She asked. “Did they capture you too?”

 Ami shook her head. “Iie, kaa-san.” She said. “They let me visit you for ten minutes. But I’m working on getting you out of here as fast as I can.”

 Dr. Mizuno approached Ami slowly. She seemed almost afraid of something. “Do you know who’s holding me here?” She asked.

 Ami nodded. The ball of blue light in her hand flickered again and almost died out. This brought her mother’s attention to it. Ami noticed her mother staring and sighed. “Okaa-san.” She said. “There are some things you should know. The first one is that the people who are holding you hostage are the Sailor Senshi. The second one is that if I don’t betray my best friend, they’re going to kill you.”

***

 Usagi looked around as she appeared in the foggy realm of time. She could just barely make out a large arching doorway in the distance, shrouded in the thick white mist. “Pluto!” She called. Her voice echoed throughout the endless realm. Almost instantly, a tall woman appeared before her.

 “Hime-sama.” She said in her quiet voice. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s dangerous.”

 Usagi waved her hand. “Look, Pluto.” She said. “I need to know if you can show me what Mamoru is doing right now.”

 Pluto shook her head. “I have been trying to, but it appears that there is a shield around the place he and the senshi are staying in. I can’t see anything at all.”

 Usagi’s face fell. “He’s up to something.” She said. “He threatened to get my family, but even though Ami-chan says he’s not telling the truth, I still don’t trust him. But I do believe I can trust Ami-chan.”

 “I can’t say.” Pluto said. “As soon as I know anything, I will be sure to let you know.”

 “Arigato Pluto-san.” Usagi said. She closed her eyes and wished herself away from the time realm.   
 

 

 

Chapter Nine

 

Ami brushed her blue hair back behind her ears and closed her eyes, leaning back in the chair. Light music played around her, and the smell of coffee was strong, despite the late hour. She was beyond tired, but this couldn’t wait until tomorrow. She’d made sure that she’d slipped drugs into Mamoru and the other senshi’s dinners, so that they’d be totally out of it by ten o’clock. After she was sure they were asleep, she’s contacted the only person who could help her.

 Usagi.

 The blond girl in name had agreed to meet her at a local 24-hour café to talk. The waitress was getting impatient about having her sitting there without ordering anything.

 A sound made her open her eyes to see her friend slide into the seat across from her. Right next to her was the same boy from the restaurant earlier that evening. Usagi nodded in greeting before grabbing a menu and skimming through it. She glanced behind her once, then quickly turned back and looked at the other girl.

 “We’d better make this quick.” She said. “Setsuna-san isn’t happy that I’m meeting you. She has a bad feeling, and you know how accurate her feelings are.”

 The senshi of Mercury glanced at the boy for a second. He radiated ice, his eyes totally emotionless. Yet she could tell that Usagi trusted him, so she began. “I really shouldn’t be here anyways.” She began. “But the situations getting pretty bad. I know that you have your own problems to deal with, your family in danger and all, but you’re the only person I know who can help me.” She took a deep breath. “Mamoru has my mother, and he’s holding her captive to make me do whatever he wants.”

~

 Duo cursed again under his breath before sliding into a small booth in the corner of the café. He grabbed a menu and held it up over his face, careful not to be too obvious. After a second, he peeked over the top of the menu. The people he was following were now sitting down across from a young woman with – blue!? Hair?

 The blond boy blinked. Yup, her hair was definitely blue. Strange, for a girl that looked so quite and innocent. And it didn’t look fake either.

 He’d been alerted when his friend Heero had received a strange phone call not to long ago. The other boy had all but vanished for a few minutes, reappearing in the garage with a young woman. They’d both been in too big of a hurry to notice him hiding behind one of the cars, as they’d quickly driven away.

 Now, these incidents raised quite a few questions in the self-proclaimed Shinigami’s head. Like, since when did Heero, the Perfect Soldier, have anything to do with a girl. She looked an awful lot like that babe from his class at the college, Usagi. But it couldn’t be of course. And speaking of, where had the girl come from? The doorbell hadn’t rung, and Duo hadn’t seen her in the house before. Of course, the major question had been where they were going. So, being the prankster and curious guy that he was, he decided to follow them to see what was going on- and if he could play any tricks on his best friend of course.   
 Now, he slid to a closer booth, almost directly behind the small group, and ducked down to listen without being caught. His eyes widened as he eavesdropped on their discussion.

~

 “Are you serious?” The blond almost shouted. She took a wavering breath and shook her head. “This isn’t good.”

 Ami nodded. “I know. I came to you because I figured you would be the only one to help me get her out.” She said. “But it would be dangerous, and Mamoru always has one of the senshi guarding the door. That, and he can sense any magic used in the building.”

 Usagi swore under her breath. “Then how do we get her out? Setsuna won’t be able to make a portal, and I can’t teleport.” She said softly.

 Heero spoke up then, his voice low. “I’ll do it.” He said. “I’m the only one that can get in and out without using any magic.” He said.

 “Are you sure?” Ami stared at the young man, her eyes narrow. How would this regular human be able to get into their house without triggering any of the alarms? Yet, he seemed so sure of himself, and Usagi was nodding in agreement.

 “Hai.”

 Usagi wrapped an arm around his shoulder and hugged him. “Thank you so much.” She said. “I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to thank you for all of this.” The blond paused, nibbling on her lower lip. “I’ve got a plan, but I don’t know how good it will be.” She said after a moment.

 The blue haired genius nodded, pulling a blue mini-comp out of her purse. “Right, lets get to work.”

~

 Duo had had enough. Teleporting? Magic? And Heero knew about all of this? Since when had the Perfect Soldier had any dealings with these two teenage girls. The blue one had just offered him a mission, and he’d accepted it without even contacting Dr. J first. And without the other Pilot’s knowledge.

 He twirled his braid around his fingers, thinking. The threesome was now talking to low for him to hear anything; he assumed they were working out some kind of plan. Of course, he’d have to follow the Japanese Pilot whenever he went on this mission. Just to see what all this was about, if not to try and help out.

~

 The plan was set. They’d had little time to prepare, only a few hours. But each of them knew what to do, right down to the last detail. Now it was almost sunrise, seven o’clock AM. They were all tired, each of them yawning occasionally (except Heero, who looked wide awake).

Ami had contacted the Chemistry professor at Usagi’s university- that the blond unhappily remembered she was missing a lot of- and had managed to get the ingredients necessary to numb Mamoru’s magical senses. Whatever little bit he felt would have to be covered up by the Mercurian.

 Heero was in the process of reviewing the blueprints of the building that Ami had pulled up on the mini-comp. He claimed to be ready to act whenever he needed to, and Usagi had little doubt that he was already armed.

 Usagi herself was on her fourth cup of coffee and still looked tired. The Caffeine was ‘not’ working at all. She herself had a big part to play in this mission. They’d come to the conclusion- very easily- that Mamoru would be beyond pissed off when he discovered the Dr. Mizuno missing along with her daughter. None had much doubt that the next family he’d go after would be Usagi’s. So while Heero was in the process of rescuing Ami’s mother, the blond would be teleporting her entire family to one of Michiru and Haruka’s vacation houses in New Zealand.

 Michiru had heard from Setsuna about their planning and had offered her vacation house as a safe haven for the Tsukino’s. She and Haruka, along with the young Hotaru, were ready to fight the inners if they even tried to do any harm to their princess or her loved ones.

 One final review, then all three stood and stretched. It was time to act. Ami left, heading back to her house before the others woke up. She’d need to get the magic-numbing potion into their food. With a final ‘good luck’, she was gone.

 Heero turned to go, but stopped when Usagi put her hand on his arm. He turned back around, focusing his Prussian blue eyes on her.

 “Heero.” She fidgeted. “Umm… be careful.” She said. She stood up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his before leaving the café.

 The Japanese boy stood their for a second, watching her retreating back. A small smile was on his lips when he left. 


End file.
